Dancing With the Stars has seen its share of craziness over the years and Season 22 looks to equal that ballroom blitz. And we were just talking about the celebrities we’ve seen sashay and shimmy their little hearts out. What about the pros who have to teach them and mentor them and be their friend and lifeline on this journey?
They’ve become household names, some even more famous than the stars with whom they’ve been partnered. They all have different personalities, unique styles and are truly the heart of the show. Because without their leadership, we’d have a show that looked like a prom gone wrong.
In honour of the reality competition’s past 21 seasons, we look back at our favourite pros and, based on success and all-around dance ability, we rank them from good to better to best.
The most memorable pros on ‘Dancing With the Stars’, ranked
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23. KEO MOTSEPE
Seasons competed: 4 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 0
Defining moment: He could have chemistry with a mop but he did the impossible, and made Chaka Khan more of a woman than she already was.
Best partner: Charlotte McKinney. She had moves but not the commitment. If only she focused on her dancing more than her phone, they would've gotten a lot farther.
Worst partner: Lolo Jones. Like watching a train wreck. Except this one you HAD to look away from.
Rank: 3 Mirror Balls out of 5 ABC
22. ARTEM CHIGVINTSEV
Seasons competed: 3 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 0
Defining moment: He hasn't had one yet ... though being partnered with Mischa Barton this time around guarantees great things.
Best partner: Lea Thompson. Her ballet training helped with her smooth lines and her ability to pick up choreo. They made a great team, no matter how cougary Lea felt.
Worst partner: Patti LaBelle. Her injuries throughout most of her run meant there wasn't a ton of dancing in their routines which made for uncomfortable viewing.
Rank: 3 Mirror Balls out of 5Bell Media
21. EMMA SLATER
Seasons competed: 5
Wins: 0
Defining moment: It wasn't a miracle that got Bill Engvall to finish in fourth place in Season 17, Emma's first season; rather, the pro proved she is a patient choreographer who knows how to bring out the best in her partners.
Best partner: Alek Skarlatos. OK, he wasn't officially her partner but he got Emma during Switch-Up Week in Season 21 and their rumba sizzled.
Worst partner: Michael Waltrip. Too much pelvic thrusting. Shudder.
Rank: 3 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
20. LINDSAY ARNOLD
Seasons competed: 3 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 0
Defining moment: The contemporary routine she choreographed for Alek Skarlatos—who made headlines after foiling a terror plot on a French train with two of his pals—showed off the hero to perfection.
Best partner: Alek Skarlatos. He and Lindsay were a true partnership and while she was the pro, she still treated him like an equal and you could see that in the way they moved together.
Worst partner: Victor Ortiz. He was nowhere near the worst the show has ever seen but the boxer was so clearly out of his element, you could tell he was fine going home.
Rank: 3 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
19. CHELSIE HIGHTOWER
Seasons competed: 7
Wins: 0
Defining moment: Chelsie was able to take bowlegged rodeo cowboy Ty Murray and transform him into a graceful, almost natural-looking, dancer. Yee-haw!
Best partner: Roshon Fegan. Thanks to his hip-hop background and Chelsie's So You Think You Can Dance experience, the young duo worked fantastically together.
Worst partner: Michael Bolton. Despite all the work he put in, his awkward jive sent him packing early. Thank goodness for us.
Rank: 3 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
18. ALLISON HOLKER
Seasons competed: 3
Wins: 0
Defining moment: Her freestyle with Riker Lynch was perhaps one of the best, most rewindable freestyles since Drew and Cheryl's winning one from Season 2.
Best partner: Riker. He was gangly and a little awkward but the rocker proved us all wrong by showing us that he could easily handle everything Allison gave him — which was a LOT.
Worst partner: Andy Grammer. It was between him and Allison's only other partner, Jonathan Bennett; we only chose him because Bennett's goofy personality gave him an edge.
Rank: 3 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5Bell Media
17. LACEY SCHWIMMER
Seasons competed: 6
Wins: 0
Defining moment: There were concerns that Lacey's endometriosis would keep her from the ballroom but the fighter stuck it out and she and Lance Bass ended up finishing in third.
Best partner: Kyle Massey. The Disney star was a delight, so much so that he and Lacey were never in the bottom. Well, until the end when they lost to Derek and Jennifer Grey.
Worst partner: Mike Catherwood. The radio host was cute but cute can only get a dude so far.
Rank: 3 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
16. EDYTA SLIWINSKA
Seasons competed: 11 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 0
Defining moment: Rumour has it that when she didn't get the partner she wanted for Season 11, she was dropped. But clearly all is forgiven and Edyta, who appeared in the first 10 seasons, is back to dance another day.
Best partner: Jason Taylor. Their chemistry was insane and they couldn't have looked or moved any better together.
Worst partner: Jeffrey Ross. Edyta's gifted but even she couldn't make the comedian a dancer.
Rank: 3 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
15. ANNA TREBUNSKAYA
Seasons competed: 11
Wins: 0
Defining moment: She's all-business but when she and Jerry Rice donned afros for their disco-y freestyle in the second season finals, she proved she was willing to cheese it up for the Mirror Ball.
Best partner: Evan Lysacek. The Olympic gold medalist was cute as a button but it was his paso doble that showed his darker, more fierce side.
Worst partner: Gary Busey. It was all just so tough to watch.
Rank: 4 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
14. LOUIS VAN AMSTEL
Seasons competed: 10
Wins: 0
Defining moment: Louis' first perfect score ever came in the All-Stars season where he was partnered with former contestant Sabrina Bryan. But it's also the week they were eliminated. The pro, who always took the competition so seriously, seems to have lightened up since then.
Best partner: Kelly Osbourne. She may have placed third in Season 9 but her worst wasn't even some people's best. When she was really good, she was fabulous.
Worst partner: Paula Deen. Everything about their partnership was cringeworthy.
Rank: 4 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
13. SHARNA BURGESS
Seasons competed: 7 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 0
Defining moment: There wasn't a dry eye when Sharna and war veteran Noah Galloway performed their contemporary routine to commemorate the year he lost both his arm and leg during his second tour in Iraq.
Best partner: Nick Carter. She earned her highest place to date (runner-up, to Derek Hough and Bindi Irwin) and they were spectacular together. Best part? Her Backstreet Boys fan-girling.
Worst partner: Keyshawn Johnson. It was easy to have high hopes for him considering the successes of past NFLers but Keyshawn's moves were robotic, at best.
Rank: 4 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
12. ALEC MAZO
Seasons competed: 5
Wins: 1
Defining moment: He was the first-ever winner, along with actress Kelly Monaco, of Dancing With the Stars. That's huge!
Best partner: Kelly, obviously. Runner-up John O'Hurley is still bitter about it.
Worst partner: Josie Maran. She wasn't awful but it was pretty bad (and kind of hilarious) when Alec called the model "deceptively unfit."
Rank: 4 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
11. PETA MURGATROYD
Seasons competed: 9 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 1
Defining moment: Peta's country freestyle with Donald Driver got everyone out of their seats and bopping along to Cowboy Troy's "I Play Chicken with the Train." It's freestyles that win seasons and that's why they won Season 14.
Best partner: Tommy Chong. He should've been dreadful but Peta brought out the stoner's elegant side and he kept up with some pure, old-fashioned grace.
Worst partner: Sean Lowe. The Bachelor just wasn't very good, no matter how hard he tried.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5Bell Media
10. WITNEY CARSON
Seasons competed: 5 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 1
Defining moment: The Carlton proved Witney knew how to choreograph AND get to the final (of course, when you have a willing partner like Alfonso Ribeiro, that totally helps).
Best partner: Alfonso. Um, The Carlton?
Worst partner: Chris Soules. He was likable, funny, and so willing to learn but fans of The Bachelor kept him around way longer than his dancing deserved.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5Bell Media
9. VAL CHMERKOVSKIY
Seasons competed: 10 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 1
Defining moment: His All-Star partner, Kelly Monaco, taught him to "always know your audience" and because of that he was more comfortable on camera, so much so that his shirtless scenes came fast and furiously after that. Thanks, Kelly!
Best partner: Rumer Willis. He brought out her natural abilities and because of her, we got to see his softer, gentler side. They were a stunning pair.
Worst partner: Tamar Braxton. Yes, she was a fantastic dancer, a total trooper, super-strong and outspoken. But when it came to rehearsals, her complaining and criticism was annoying for everyone.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5 ABC
8. TONY DOVOLANI
Seasons competed: 22 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 1
Defining moment: If Nancy O'Dell hadn't withdrawn before the show aired, he never would've been partnered with Melissa Ryecroft, with whom he finished third in Season 8 and reunited with to win the All-Star season.
Best partner: Leah Remini. Tony tends to get paired with some of the older, classier ladies. So nothing could prepare him for Leah, who would cheerily slap Tony and hilariously challenge him every chance she could get.
Worst partner: Kate Gosselin. The mom of eight constantly criticized Dovolani's teaching style during rehearsals and he threatened to quit. There were even "Free Tony" t-shirts circulating.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
7. KARINA SMIRNOFF
Seasons competed: 18 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 1
Defining moment: The rumba she created for J.R. Martinez was stunning and touching but not sappy or forced, as they dedicated their dance to the families of soldiers who didn't get a second chance like J.R. did. That basically clinched their season.
Best partner: Mario Lopez. Their chemistry together was so hot, they even dated after the show.
Worst partner: Sean Avery. She's had her fair share of duds for partners but the hockey player was a stone-faced nightmare who looked like he'd rather be anywhere but the ballroom.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5 Getty Images
6. MAKSIM CHMERKOVSKIY
Seasons competed: 14
Wins: 1
Defining moment: After 13 seasons, Meryl finally got Maks the Mirror Ball he so deserved. And that's how he left the show (as a pro, at least) — on a high.
Best partner: Meryl Davis. They seemed like an unlikely pair — she, an elegant, sophisticated ice dancer; he, an arrogant, oft-shirtless pro — but together they were magical.
Worst partner: Hope Solo. They fought a lot during rehearsals but in the soccer player's book, she alleged that Maks slapped her in the face while trying to correct a move, which he repeatedly denied. Yeesh.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
5. KYM JOHNSON
Seasons competed: 14
Wins: 2
Defining moment: In Season 20, Kym met the man who would eventually be her fiancée: Shark Tank's Robert Herjavec. We KNEW their off-the-charts chemistry wasn't all show.
Best partner: Joey Fatone. But in Season 4, when he was runner-up to Apolo Anton Ohno, not in the All-Stars season when they finished in 12th place.
Worst partner: David Hasselhoff. Sadly, The Hoff's moves left a lot to be desired and his cha cha to "Sex Bomb" bombed.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
4. CHERYL BURKE
Seasons competed: 18
Wins: 2
Defining moment: The iconic freestyle she choreographed for Season 2 champ, Drew Lachey. It's what every freestyle has tried to live up to since.
Best partner: Emmitt Smith. Cheryl knew how to balance her teachings with Emmitt's natural charm and moves — and people loved watching them. The season finale scored 27.8 million viewers, the highest-rated DWTS finale to date.
Worst partner: Tom DeLay. He may have been known as the "Meanest Man in Congress" but the politician's air guitar, finger-pointing, hip-shaking and knee-sliding were just horrific.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
3. MARK BALLAS
Seasons competed: 18 (including the upcoming season)
Wins: 2
Defining moment: He was paired with Sabrina Bryan and a shoo-in to win, so when they were booted in Week 6 it was one of the biggest shockers in all of reality television. Ever since, he seemed a little more feisty and jaded, and it's shown in his rebellious choreography.
Best partner: Sadie Robertson. His chemistry with the Duck Dynasty teen was simply lovely. The only reason they didn't win? Alfonso was simply the one to beat. And he was unbeatable.
Worst partner: Kim Kardashian. She had the reigning champion and they were eliminated in Week 3. Boo!
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5Bell Media
2. JULIANNE HOUGH
Seasons competed: 5
Wins: 2
Defining moment: Julianne's samba with Apolo was so fun and fierce and showed off her partner's abilities. It was routines like this that landed her her first win.
Best partner: Hélio Castroneves. She may have won the season before with Apolo Anton Ohno but Julianne and Hélio's bubbly personality was almost too much for viewers to handle. So. Adorable.
Worst partner: Adam Carolla. Just... no.
Rank: 4 1/2 Mirror Balls out of 5ABC
1. DEREK HOUGH
Seasons competed: 16
Wins: 6
Defining moment: The All-Star season was supposed to be his last but he found time in his schedule to fit in Season 16, where he was paired with Kellie Pickler — the eventual winner, making Derek the only pro to have won four Mirror Balls. And then two more after that.
Best partner: Bindi Irwin. The choreography he designed around her infectious energy basically guaranteed them the Season 21 win.
Worst partner: Nastia Liukin. Because of her gymnastics background, she had the skills but her personality was lacking. Even Derek couldn't bring that out.
Rank: 5 out of 5 Mirror BallsBell Media
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